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1973 in comics
Events and publications Year overall * Dell Comics, after 44 years in the comics business, ceases publication; a few of the company's former titles moving to Gold Key Comics. * Marvel's Curtis Magazines makes a push, debuting three new horror titles: Dracula Lives!, Monsters Unleashed, and Vampire Tales. * Archie Comics publisher John L. Goldwater licenses Archie for evangelical Christian messages; the comics are written and illustrated by Archie regular Al Hartley and published by Spire Christian Comics. January * Teen Titans, with issue #43 (Jan./Feb. issue), suspends publication. (DC Comics) February * Doom Patrol vol. 1, with issue #122, is revived by DC after being cancelled in 1968. * Metal Men, with issue #42 (Feb./Mar. cover date), is revived by DC after being cancelled in 1970. May * Night Nurse, with issue #4, is cancelled by Marvel. June * Detective Comics, with issue #435 (June/July cover date) begins a bimonthly schedule. (DC Comics) * Doom Patrol vol 1., with issue #125 (June–July), canceled by DC. * "The Night Gwen Stacy Died" story arc begins in The Amazing Spider-Man #121, written by Gerry Conway, with art by Gil Kane. (Concludes in Amazing Spider-Man #122, July cover-date.) August * Metal Men, with issue #44 (Aug./Sept. cover date) goes on hiatus, to be revived in 1976. (DC Comics) * Shanna the She-Devil, with issue #5, is cancelled by Marvel. October *''Strange Adventures, with issue #244 (Oct./Nov. issue), canceled by DC Comics. * Archie Comics revives its Red Circle Comics superhero imprint, as Red Circle takes over ''Chilling Adventures in Sorcery as told by Sabrina with issue #3, changing its name to Chilling Adventures in Sorcery. * Savage Tales, after a 17-month hiatus, resumes publishing with issue #2. (Curtis Magazines) *''Vampire Tales'' #2: The first appearance of Satana, drawn by John Romita (Marvel Comics) November * Kull the Conqueror, with issue #11, changes its name to Kull the Destroyer. (Marvel Comics) * Marvel Feature, with issue #12, is canceled by Marvel. December * Millie the Model, with issue #207, canceled by Marvel. Deaths February * February 27: Bill Everett dies at age 55. June * Werner Roth dies at age 52. * June 3: Syd Shores dies at age 59. October * October 18: Pogo creator Walt Kelly dies at age 60. Exhibitions and shows Conventions * Berkeleycon 73, Pauley Ballroom, ASUC Building, University of California, Berkeley — Bud Plant's retail business Comics & Comix acquires over 4,000 Golden Age comic books owned by Tom Reilly.Beerbohm, Bob. "Please Consider Buying Some Comics From Industry Icon Robert Beerbohm," The Comics Reporter (March 14, 2008). * Memorial Day weekend: Detroit Triple Fan Fair, Detroit, Michigan * July 4–8: Comic Art Convention, Hotel Commodore, New York City * August 16–19 — San Diego Comic-Con, Sheraton Hotel, Harbor Island, California — 1,000+ attendees. Official guests: Neal Adams, D.C. Fontana, June Foray, Mike Friedrich, Carmine Infantino Awards Shazam Awards Presented in 1974 for comics published in 1973: * Best Continuing Feature: Swamp Thing (DC Comics) * Best Individual Story: "Song of Red Sonja", by Roy Thomas and Barry Smith, Conan the Barbarian #24 (Marvel Comics) * Best Individual Short Story (Dramatic): "The Himalayan Incident" (Manhunter), by Archie Goodwin and Walt Simonson, Detective Comics #437 (DC) * Best Writer (Dramatic Division): Archie Goodwin * Best Penciller (Dramatic Division): Berni Wrightson * Best Inker (Dramatic Division): Dick Giordano * Best Humor Story: "The Gourmet", Plop! #1 (DC) * Best Writer (Humor Division) (tie): ** Stu Schwartzberg ** Steve Skeates * Best Penciller (Humor Division): Marie Severin * Best Inker (Humor Division): Ralph Reese * Best Letterer: Gaspar Saladino * Best Colorist: Glynis Wein * Best Foreign Comic Series: Lieutenant Blueberry * Outstanding New Talent (tie): ** Walt Simonson ** Jim Starlin * Superior Achievement by an Individual: Richard Corben * Hall of Fame: Carl Barks First issues by title DC Comics Black Magic: selected reprints of 1950 Prize Comics series. : Release: Oct./Nov. Writer: Joe Simon. Artist: Jack Kirby. Plop! : Release: Sept./Oct. Editor: Joe Orlando. Prez : Release: September. Writer: Joe Simon. Artist: Jerry Grandenetti. Shazam! : Release: February. Artist: C.C. Beck. Editor: Julius Schwartz. Marvel Comics Dead of Night : Release: January. Dracula Lives! : Release: by Curtis Magazines. Editor: Roy Thomas. Ghost Rider vol. 2 : Release: September. Writer: Gary Friedrich. Artist: Tom Sutton and Syd Shores. Monster of Frankenstein : Release: January. Writer: Gary Friedrich. Artist: Mike Ploog. Monsters Unleashed : Release: July by Curtis Magazines. Editor: Roy Thomas. Spider-Man Comics Weekly : Release: Feb. 10 by Marvel UK. Editor: Tony Isabella. Tales of the Zombie : Release: July by Curtis Magazines. Editor: Roy Thomas. Vampire Tales : Release: July by Curtis Magazines. Editor: Roy Thomas. War is Hell : Release: January. Editor: Roy Thomas. Worlds Unknown : Release: May. Editor: Stan Lee. Independent titles Cutie Honey : Release: October 1 by Akita Shoten. Writer/Artist: Go Nagai. E-Man : Release: October by Charlton Comics. Writer: Nicola Cuti. Artist: Joe Staton. The Occult Files of Dr. Spektor : Release: May by Gold Key Comics. Writer: Don Glut. Artist: Jesse Santos. Initial appearances by character name DC Comics * Black Orchid, in Adventure Comics #428 (July) * Freedom Fighters, in Justice League of America #107 (October) * Klarion the Witch Boy, in The Demon #7 (March) * Steve Lombard, in Superman #264 (June) * Mister Miracle (Shilo Norman), in Mister Miracle #15 (August) * Spook, in Detective Comics #434 (April) * Tyr, in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #197 (September) * Wildfire, in Superboy and the Legion of Super-Heroes #195 (June) Marvel Comics * Angar the Screamer, in Daredevil #100 (June) * Bi-Beast, in Hulk #169 (November) * Blade, in The Tomb of Dracula #10 (July) * Lucas Brand, in The Tomb of Dracula #9 (June) * Brother Voodoo, in Strange Tales #169 (September) * Drax the Destroyer, in Iron Man #55 (February) * Deacon Frost, in The Tomb of Dracula #13 (October) * Gremlin, in Incredible Hulk #163 (May) * Quincy Harker, in The Tomb of Dracula #7 (March) * Daimon Hellstrom, in Ghost Rider (vol. 2) #1 (September) * Helmut Zemo, in Captain America #168 (December) * Howard the Duck, in Adventure into Fear #19 (December) * The Hydro-Men, in Sub-Mariner #61 (May) * The Infra-Worlders, in The Incredible Hulk #164 (June) * Solomon Kane, in Monsters Unleashed #1 (August) * Erik Killmonger, in Jungle Action #6 (September) * Killraven, in Amazing Adventures #18 (May) * Kronos, in Iron Man #55 (February) * A'lars, in Iron Man #55 (February) * Moondragon, in Iron Man #54 (January) * Nimrod, in Dracula Lives! #3 (October) * Orb, in Marvel Team-Up #15 (November) * Satana, in Vampire Tales #2 (October) * Shang-Chi, in Special Marvel Edition #15 (December) * Sui-San, in Captain Marvel #29 (November) * Starfox, in Iron Man #55 (February) * Thanos, in Iron Man #55 (February) * Ultimus, in The Mighty Thor #209 (March) * Uranos, in Captain Marvel #29 (November) * Venomm, in Jungle Action #6 (September) * Wendigo, in Incredible Hulk #162 (April) * Wundarr the Aquarian, in Adventure into Fear #17 (October) * Baron Zemo II, in Captain America #168 (December) * Zzzax, in Hulk #166 (August) Independent titles * Black Jack, in Weekly Shōnen Champion (November 19) * Rerun van Pelt, in Peanuts (March 26) References Category:1973